The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars

M. Ackermann; M. Ajello; A. Allafort; P. Schady; L. Baldini; J. Ballet; G. Barbiellini; D. Bastieri; R. Bellazzini; R. D. Blandford; E. D. Bloom; A. W. Borgland; E. Bottacini; A. Bouvier; J. Bregeon; M. Brigida; P. Bruel; R. Buehler; S. Buson; G. A. Caliandro; R. A. Cameron; P. A. Caraveo; E. Cavazzuti; C. Cecchi; E. Charles; R. C.G. Chaves; A. Chekhtman; C. C. Cheung; J. Chiang; G. Chiaro; S. Ciprini; R. Claus; J. Cohen-Tanugi; J. Conrad; S. Cutini; F. D'Ammando; F. De Palma; C. D. Dermer; S. W. Digel; E. Do Couto E Silva; A. Domínguez; P. S. Drell; A. Drlica-Wagner; C. Favuzzi; S. J. Fegan; W. B. Focke; A. Franckowiak; Y. Fukazawa; S. Funk; P. Fusco; F. Gargano; D. Gasparrini; N. Gehrels; S. Germani; N. Giglietto; F. Giordano; M. Giroletti; T. Glanzman; G. Godfrey; I. A. Grenier; J. E. Grove; S. Guiriec; M. Gustafsson; D. Hadasch; M. Hayashida; E. Hays; M. S. Jackson; T. Jogler; J. Kataoka; J. Knödlseder; M. Kuss; J. Lande; S. Larsson; L. Latronico; F. Longo; F. Loparco; M. N. Lovellette; P. Lubrano; M. N. Mazziotta; J. E. McEnery; J. Mehault; P. F. Michelson; T. Mizuno; C. Monte; M. E. Monzani; A. Morselli; I. V. Moskalenko; S. Murgia; A. Tramacere; E. Nuss; J. Greiner; M. Ohno; T. Ohsugi; N. Omodei; M. Orienti; E. Orlando; J. F. Ormes; D. Paneque; J. S. Perkins; M. Pesce-Rollins; F. Piron; G. Pivato; T. A. Porter; S. Rainò; R. Rando; M. Razzano; S. Razzaque; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; L. C. Reyes; S. Ritz; A. Rau; C. Romoli; M. Roth; M. Sánchez-Conde; D. A. Sanchez; J. D. Scargle; C. Sgrò; E. J. Siskind; G. Spandre; P. Spinelli; Łukasz Stawarz; D. J. Suson; H. Takahashi; T. Tanaka; J. G. Thayer; D. J. Thompson; L. Tibaldo; M. Tinivella; D. F. Torres; G. Tosti; E. Troja; T. L. Usher; J. Vandenbroucke; V. Vasileiou; G. Vianello; V. Vitale; A. P. Waite; B. L. Winer; K. S. Wood; M. Wood

doi:10.1126/science.1227160

The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars

M. Ackermann
, M. Ajello
, A. Allafort
, P. Schady
, L. Baldini
, J. Ballet
, G. Barbiellini
, D. Bastieri
, R. Bellazzini
, R. D. Blandford
, E. D. Bloom
, A. W. Borgland
, E. Bottacini
, A. Bouvier
, J. Bregeon
, M. Brigida
, P. Bruel
, R. Buehler
, S. Buson
, G. A. Caliandro

R. A. Cameron, P. A. Caraveo, E. Cavazzuti, C. Cecchi, E. Charles, R. C.G. Chaves, A. Chekhtman, C. C. Cheung, J. Chiang, G. Chiaro, S. Ciprini, R. Claus, J. Cohen-Tanugi, J. Conrad, S. Cutini, F. D'Ammando, F. De Palma, C. D. Dermer, S. W. Digel, E. Do Couto E Silva, A. Domínguez, P. S. Drell, A. Drlica-Wagner, C. Favuzzi, S. J. Fegan, W. B. Focke, A. Franckowiak, Y. Fukazawa, S. Funk, P. Fusco, F. Gargano, D. Gasparrini, N. Gehrels, S. Germani, N. Giglietto, F. Giordano, M. Giroletti, T. Glanzman, G. Godfrey, I. A. Grenier, J. E. Grove, S. Guiriec, M. Gustafsson, D. Hadasch, M. Hayashida, E. Hays, M. S. Jackson, T. Jogler, J. Kataoka, J. Knödlseder, M. Kuss, J. Lande, S. Larsson, L. Latronico, F. Longo, F. Loparco, M. N. Lovellette, P. Lubrano, M. N. Mazziotta, J. E. McEnery, J. Mehault, P. F. Michelson, T. Mizuno, C. Monte, M. E. Monzani, A. Morselli, I. V. Moskalenko, S. Murgia, A. Tramacere, E. Nuss, J. Greiner, M. Ohno, T. Ohsugi, N. Omodei, M. Orienti, E. Orlando, J. F. Ormes, D. Paneque, J. S. Perkins, M. Pesce-Rollins, F. Piron, G. Pivato, T. A. Porter, S. Rainò, R. Rando, M. Razzano, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, L. C. Reyes, S. Ritz, A. Rau, C. Romoli, M. Roth, M. Sánchez-Conde, D. A. Sanchez, J. D. Scargle, C. Sgrò, E. J. Siskind, G. Spandre, P. Spinelli, Łukasz Stawarz, D. J. Suson, H. Takahashi, T. Tanaka, J. G. Thayer, D. J. Thompson, L. Tibaldo, M. Tinivella, D. F. Torres, G. Tosti, E. Troja, T. L. Usher, J. Vandenbroucke, V. Vasileiou, G. Vianello, V. Vitale, A. P. Waite, B. L. Winer, K. S. Wood, M. Wood

c/o DESY
W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory
Stanford University
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
University of California, Space Sciences Laboratory
Max Planck Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik
University of Pisa
Universite Paris-Saclay
INFN Gruppo Collegato di Udine
INFN Sezione di Trieste
University of Trieste
INFN
Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia G. Galilei
University of Padova
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa
University of California at Santa Cruz
Politecnico di Bari
INFN
INFN Sezione di Bari
University of Sheffield
INAF Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica, Milan
Space Science Data Center
Science and Research Directorate
Sezione di Perugia
INFN Sezione di Perugia
INFM CRS-SOFT
University of Perugia
Center for Earth Observing and Space Research
George Mason University
Naval Research Laboratory
National Research Council
ASI Science Data Center
Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier
Stockholm University
Oskar Klein Centre
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
INAF Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Palermo
INAF-IASF
Space Science Division
Department of Physical Science
Hiroshima University
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
INAF Istituto di Radioastronomia
Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University
KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Research Institute for Science and Engineering
Waseda University
IRAP/CNRS
Université Paul Sabatier
Sezione di Torino
INFN Sezione di Torino
University of Maryland
Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center
INFN Roma Tor Vergata
University of Geneva
ISAS/JAXA
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Denver
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik
Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST)
Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
Medical University of Innsbruck
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Department of Physics
University of Washington
Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA Ames Research Center
NYCB Real-Time Computing Inc.
Astronomical Observatory
Jagiellonian University
Department of Chemistry and Physics
Purdue University Northwest
Pompeu Fabra University (UPF)
Consorzio Interuniversitario per la Fisica Spaziale (CIFS)
Dipartimento di Fisica
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”
Department of Physics
The Ohio State University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

249 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The light emitted by stars and accreting compact objects through the history of the universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Knowledge of the EBL is important to understand the nature of star formation and galaxy evolution, but direct measurements of the EBL are limited by galactic and other foreground emissions. Here, we report an absorption feature seen in the combined spectra of a sample of gamma-ray blazars out to a redshift of z ∼ 1.6. This feature is caused by attenuation of gamma rays by the EBL at optical to ultraviolet frequencies and allowed us to measure the EBL flux density in this frequency band.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1190-1192
Number of pages	3
Journal	Science
Volume	338
Issue number	6111
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1227160
Publication status	Published - 30 Nov 2012

Access to Document

10.1126/science.1227160

Cite this

Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., Schady, P., Baldini, L., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G., Bastieri, D., Bellazzini, R., Blandford, R. D., Bloom, E. D., Borgland, A. W., Bottacini, E., Bouvier, A., Bregeon, J., Brigida, M., Bruel, P., Buehler, R., Buson, S., ... Wood, M. (2012). The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars. Science, 338(6111), 1190-1192. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1227160

@article{40286d8041d946c89771d71f2526bd72,

title = "The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars",

abstract = "The light emitted by stars and accreting compact objects through the history of the universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Knowledge of the EBL is important to understand the nature of star formation and galaxy evolution, but direct measurements of the EBL are limited by galactic and other foreground emissions. Here, we report an absorption feature seen in the combined spectra of a sample of gamma-ray blazars out to a redshift of z ∼ 1.6. This feature is caused by attenuation of gamma rays by the EBL at optical to ultraviolet frequencies and allowed us to measure the EBL flux density in this frequency band.",

author = "M. Ackermann and M. Ajello and A. Allafort and P. Schady and L. Baldini and J. Ballet and G. Barbiellini and D. Bastieri and R. Bellazzini and Blandford, \{R. D.\} and Bloom, \{E. D.\} and Borgland, \{A. W.\} and E. Bottacini and A. Bouvier and J. Bregeon and M. Brigida and P. Bruel and R. Buehler and S. Buson and Caliandro, \{G. A.\} and Cameron, \{R. A.\} and Caraveo, \{P. A.\} and E. Cavazzuti and C. Cecchi and E. Charles and Chaves, \{R. C.G.\} and A. Chekhtman and Cheung, \{C. C.\} and J. Chiang and G. Chiaro and S. Ciprini and R. Claus and J. Cohen-Tanugi and J. Conrad and S. Cutini and F. D'Ammando and \{De Palma\}, F. and Dermer, \{C. D.\} and Digel, \{S. W.\} and \{Do Couto E Silva\}, E. and A. Dom{\'i}nguez and Drell, \{P. S.\} and A. Drlica-Wagner and C. Favuzzi and Fegan, \{S. J.\} and Focke, \{W. B.\} and A. Franckowiak and Y. Fukazawa and S. Funk and P. Fusco and F. Gargano and D. Gasparrini and N. Gehrels and S. Germani and N. Giglietto and F. Giordano and M. Giroletti and T. Glanzman and G. Godfrey and Grenier, \{I. A.\} and Grove, \{J. E.\} and S. Guiriec and M. Gustafsson and D. Hadasch and M. Hayashida and E. Hays and Jackson, \{M. S.\} and T. Jogler and J. Kataoka and J. Kn{\"o}dlseder and M. Kuss and J. Lande and S. Larsson and L. Latronico and F. Longo and F. Loparco and Lovellette, \{M. N.\} and P. Lubrano and Mazziotta, \{M. N.\} and McEnery, \{J. E.\} and J. Mehault and Michelson, \{P. F.\} and T. Mizuno and C. Monte and Monzani, \{M. E.\} and A. Morselli and Moskalenko, \{I. V.\} and S. Murgia and A. Tramacere and E. Nuss and J. Greiner and M. Ohno and T. Ohsugi and N. Omodei and M. Orienti and E. Orlando and Ormes, \{J. F.\} and D. Paneque and Perkins, \{J. S.\} and M. Pesce-Rollins and F. Piron and G. Pivato and Porter, \{T. A.\} and S. Rain{\`o} and R. Rando and M. Razzano and S. Razzaque and A. Reimer and O. Reimer and Reyes, \{L. C.\} and S. Ritz and A. Rau and C. Romoli and M. Roth and M. S{\'a}nchez-Conde and Sanchez, \{D. A.\} and Scargle, \{J. D.\} and C. Sgr{\`o} and Siskind, \{E. J.\} and G. Spandre and P. Spinelli and {\L}ukasz Stawarz and Suson, \{D. J.\} and H. Takahashi and T. Tanaka and Thayer, \{J. G.\} and Thompson, \{D. J.\} and L. Tibaldo and M. Tinivella and Torres, \{D. F.\} and G. Tosti and E. Troja and Usher, \{T. L.\} and J. Vandenbroucke and V. Vasileiou and G. Vianello and V. Vitale and Waite, \{A. P.\} and Winer, \{B. L.\} and Wood, \{K. S.\} and M. Wood",

year = "2012",

month = nov,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1126/science.1227160",

language = "English",

volume = "338",

pages = "1190--1192",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

number = "6111",

}

Ackermann, M, Ajello, M, Allafort, A, Schady, P, Baldini, L, Ballet, J, Barbiellini, G, Bastieri, D, Bellazzini, R, Blandford, RD, Bloom, ED, Borgland, AW, Bottacini, E, Bouvier, A, Bregeon, J, Brigida, M, Bruel, P, Buehler, R, Buson, S, Caliandro, GA, Cameron, RA, Caraveo, PA, Cavazzuti, E, Cecchi, C, Charles, E, Chaves, RCG, Chekhtman, A, Cheung, CC, Chiang, J, Chiaro, G, Ciprini, S, Claus, R, Cohen-Tanugi, J, Conrad, J, Cutini, S, D'Ammando, F, De Palma, F, Dermer, CD, Digel, SW, Do Couto E Silva, E, Domínguez, A, Drell, PS, Drlica-Wagner, A, Favuzzi, C, Fegan, SJ, Focke, WB, Franckowiak, A, Fukazawa, Y, Funk, S, Fusco, P, Gargano, F, Gasparrini, D, Gehrels, N, Germani, S, Giglietto, N, Giordano, F, Giroletti, M, Glanzman, T, Godfrey, G, Grenier, IA, Grove, JE, Guiriec, S, Gustafsson, M, Hadasch, D, Hayashida, M, Hays, E, Jackson, MS, Jogler, T, Kataoka, J, Knödlseder, J, Kuss, M, Lande, J, Larsson, S, Latronico, L, Longo, F, Loparco, F, Lovellette, MN, Lubrano, P, Mazziotta, MN, McEnery, JE, Mehault, J, Michelson, PF, Mizuno, T, Monte, C, Monzani, ME, Morselli, A, Moskalenko, IV, Murgia, S, Tramacere, A, Nuss, E, Greiner, J, Ohno, M, Ohsugi, T, Omodei, N, Orienti, M, Orlando, E, Ormes, JF, Paneque, D, Perkins, JS, Pesce-Rollins, M, Piron, F, Pivato, G, Porter, TA, Rainò, S, Rando, R, Razzano, M, Razzaque, S, Reimer, A, Reimer, O, Reyes, LC, Ritz, S, Rau, A, Romoli, C, Roth, M, Sánchez-Conde, M, Sanchez, DA, Scargle, JD, Sgrò, C, Siskind, EJ, Spandre, G, Spinelli, P, Stawarz, Ł, Suson, DJ, Takahashi, H, Tanaka, T, Thayer, JG, Thompson, DJ, Tibaldo, L, Tinivella, M, Torres, DF, Tosti, G, Troja, E, Usher, TL, Vandenbroucke, J, Vasileiou, V, Vianello, G, Vitale, V, Waite, AP, Winer, BL, Wood, KS & Wood, M 2012, 'The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars', Science, vol. 338, no. 6111, pp. 1190-1192. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1227160

TY - JOUR

T1 - The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Ajello, M.

AU - Allafort, A.

AU - Schady, P.

AU - Baldini, L.

AU - Ballet, J.

AU - Barbiellini, G.

AU - Bastieri, D.

AU - Bellazzini, R.

AU - Blandford, R. D.

AU - Bloom, E. D.

AU - Borgland, A. W.

AU - Bottacini, E.

AU - Bouvier, A.

AU - Bregeon, J.

AU - Brigida, M.

AU - Bruel, P.

AU - Buehler, R.

AU - Buson, S.

AU - Caliandro, G. A.

AU - Cameron, R. A.

AU - Caraveo, P. A.

AU - Cavazzuti, E.

AU - Cecchi, C.

AU - Charles, E.

AU - Chaves, R. C.G.

AU - Chekhtman, A.

AU - Cheung, C. C.

AU - Chiang, J.

AU - Chiaro, G.

AU - Ciprini, S.

AU - Claus, R.

AU - Cohen-Tanugi, J.

AU - Conrad, J.

AU - Cutini, S.

AU - D'Ammando, F.

AU - De Palma, F.

AU - Dermer, C. D.

AU - Digel, S. W.

AU - Do Couto E Silva, E.

AU - Domínguez, A.

AU - Drell, P. S.

AU - Drlica-Wagner, A.

AU - Favuzzi, C.

AU - Fegan, S. J.

AU - Focke, W. B.

AU - Franckowiak, A.

AU - Fukazawa, Y.

AU - Funk, S.

AU - Fusco, P.

AU - Gargano, F.

AU - Gasparrini, D.

AU - Gehrels, N.

AU - Germani, S.

AU - Giglietto, N.

AU - Giordano, F.

AU - Giroletti, M.

AU - Glanzman, T.

AU - Godfrey, G.

AU - Grenier, I. A.

AU - Grove, J. E.

AU - Guiriec, S.

AU - Gustafsson, M.

AU - Hadasch, D.

AU - Hayashida, M.

AU - Hays, E.

AU - Jackson, M. S.

AU - Jogler, T.

AU - Kataoka, J.

AU - Knödlseder, J.

AU - Kuss, M.

AU - Lande, J.

AU - Larsson, S.

AU - Latronico, L.

AU - Longo, F.

AU - Loparco, F.

AU - Lovellette, M. N.

AU - Lubrano, P.

AU - Mazziotta, M. N.

AU - McEnery, J. E.

AU - Mehault, J.

AU - Michelson, P. F.

AU - Mizuno, T.

AU - Monte, C.

AU - Monzani, M. E.

AU - Morselli, A.

AU - Moskalenko, I. V.

AU - Murgia, S.

AU - Tramacere, A.

AU - Nuss, E.

AU - Greiner, J.

AU - Ohno, M.

AU - Ohsugi, T.

AU - Omodei, N.

AU - Orienti, M.

AU - Orlando, E.

AU - Ormes, J. F.

AU - Paneque, D.

AU - Perkins, J. S.

AU - Pesce-Rollins, M.

AU - Piron, F.

AU - Pivato, G.

AU - Porter, T. A.

AU - Rainò, S.

AU - Rando, R.

AU - Razzano, M.

AU - Razzaque, S.

AU - Reimer, A.

AU - Reimer, O.

AU - Reyes, L. C.

AU - Ritz, S.

AU - Rau, A.

AU - Romoli, C.

AU - Roth, M.

AU - Sánchez-Conde, M.

AU - Sanchez, D. A.

AU - Scargle, J. D.

AU - Sgrò, C.

AU - Siskind, E. J.

AU - Spandre, G.

AU - Spinelli, P.

AU - Stawarz, Łukasz

AU - Suson, D. J.

AU - Takahashi, H.

AU - Tanaka, T.

AU - Thayer, J. G.

AU - Thompson, D. J.

AU - Tibaldo, L.

AU - Tinivella, M.

AU - Torres, D. F.

AU - Tosti, G.

AU - Troja, E.

AU - Usher, T. L.

AU - Vandenbroucke, J.

AU - Vasileiou, V.

AU - Vianello, G.

AU - Vitale, V.

AU - Waite, A. P.

AU - Winer, B. L.

AU - Wood, K. S.

AU - Wood, M.

PY - 2012/11/30

Y1 - 2012/11/30

N2 - The light emitted by stars and accreting compact objects through the history of the universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Knowledge of the EBL is important to understand the nature of star formation and galaxy evolution, but direct measurements of the EBL are limited by galactic and other foreground emissions. Here, we report an absorption feature seen in the combined spectra of a sample of gamma-ray blazars out to a redshift of z ∼ 1.6. This feature is caused by attenuation of gamma rays by the EBL at optical to ultraviolet frequencies and allowed us to measure the EBL flux density in this frequency band.

AB - The light emitted by stars and accreting compact objects through the history of the universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Knowledge of the EBL is important to understand the nature of star formation and galaxy evolution, but direct measurements of the EBL are limited by galactic and other foreground emissions. Here, we report an absorption feature seen in the combined spectra of a sample of gamma-ray blazars out to a redshift of z ∼ 1.6. This feature is caused by attenuation of gamma rays by the EBL at optical to ultraviolet frequencies and allowed us to measure the EBL flux density in this frequency band.

U2 - 10.1126/science.1227160

DO - 10.1126/science.1227160

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84870185806

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 338

SP - 1190

EP - 1192

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6111

ER -

The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this